Polishing-machine.



W. LA HODNY.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001 .9, 1911.

1,026,321 Patented May 14, 1912.

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W. LA HODNY.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT 9, 1911.-

1,026,321. Patented May 14, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PMNOGRAP" C0 WASHINGTON. D. C.

W. LA HODNY.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED 0013.9, 1911.

Patented May 14, 1912."

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W. LA HODNY.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001- a, 1911.

Patented May 14, 1912.

71 2521 asses.

-In van for :UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LA HODNY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

POLISHING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may 00 ncern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM LA I'IODNY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in'the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Polishing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for polishing the beveled edges of glass plates which are used for mirrors and other purposes.

Large plates of glass vary materially in thickness at different portions thereof, and smaller plates of supposedly the same gage and quality also vary considerably in thickness and in hardness, or in other respects, so that in polishing the beveled edge of a large plate, or in simultaneously polishing beveled edges on a plurality of smaller plates, it is impractical to employ, as has been heretofore suggested, a long polishing cylinder intended to work on the edge or edges throughout substantially the full length thereof. Many plates are broken by reason of the unequal pressure on different portions of the plate or on different plates. Further, the beveled edges of the plates may be of varying curved and irregular shapes and patterns, in which case a long polishing cylinder can not be made to conform to the variations and changes in the shape or pattern of the edge to be polished and will fail to properly and uniformly polish the beveled edge throughout its length.

The primary object of this invention is to produce a rapid, efficient and practical machine for polishing the beveled edges of glass plates, which is adapted to operate either upon a single large plate or simultaneously upon a plurality of smaller plates and to polish the beveled edges of plates of various shapes and patterns, and in which provision is made for regulating the action of the polishing wheels as may be required by reason of the different thicknesses or inequalities in the different plates or different portions of the plate being operated upon.

lVhile, as above indicated, the machine is primarily intended to be used for polishing the beveled edges of glass plates it is not necessarily limited to this use, as the same construction without substantial change can be used for grinding or other purposes.

In the accompanying drawings, consist- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 9, 1911.

Patented May 14, 1912.

Serial No. 653,493.

ing of four sheets: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a polishing machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a slightly modified construction. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, on line 4-4, Fig. 1, of the mechanism for adjusting the polishing wheels. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the gearing for adjusting the polishing wheels. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation of the machine, on an enlarged scale, on line 7-7, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale, on line 8-8, Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the means for reciprocating the table. F 10 is a sectional plan View thereof on line 1010, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing one of the swinging frames which support the polishing wheels. Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, of one of the pivot hearings for the swinging polishing wheel frames.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the stationary main frame or bed of the machine, and B a carriage which is supported and adapted to reciprocate horizontally sidewise of the machine on the main frame. One or more supplemental carriages or slides is or are supported and adjustable horizontally fore and aft of the machine on the main carriage B. There are preferably at least two supplemental carriages or slides C C which are independently adjustable on the carriage B, and each supports a work table on which the glass plate, the edge of which is to be polished, is secured. The work tables D D lie side by side and are adapted to be tilted or adjusted vertically to the same or different planes to adapt them to form together a support for a single glass plate which is too large for one table, or to support separate smaller plates.

A series of rotary polishing wheels E are mounted above the Work tables, so that as the latter reciprocate with the carriage beneath thewheels, the rear edge or edges of the glass plate or plates on the tables will be polished. The polishing wheels are independently adjustable toward and from the work so that the action of the several wheels canbe regulated as required, and means are provided for moving the several wheels simultaneously into and out of contact with the glass.

The main frame A may be of any suitable construction, that shown in the drawings having upright legs or stands a and a horizontal portion which is provided with longitudinal guide-ways in which correspondingly shaped guide rails b on the carriage B are seated and adapted to slide.

The carriage B shown consists of a rectangular skeleton frame provided with a pair of parallel transverse guideways 0 c for each of the slides C C, which have side flanges 0 0 These slides C C are adjustable independently of each other on the main carriage B.

The work tables D D shown consist of fiat plates which are arranged side by side over the slides C C, each being hinged at its rear end at d (Fig. 3) in any suitable manner to one of the slides so that the front ends of the tables can be adjusted up or down for holding a glass plate or plates in the required position to polish beveled edges of different inclinations. Each table is provided at its rear edge with a stop or holding strip cl, Fig. 7, for the glass plate. This preferably consists of a strip of wood held between the rear of the table and a clamping bar 6Z2 and adapted to be adjusted upwardly to compensate for wear by screws d pass ing through the clamping bar. This construction produces a very desirable stop.

The stop strip has suflicient give to prevent injury to the edges of the glass plates, and when its projecting edge is cut or worn by the glass it can be readily adjusted by the screws 6Z3 or removed.

Any suitable means can be employed for reciprocating the carriage with the parts supported thereby beneath the polishing Wheels. The means shown for this purpose comprise a longitudinal reversible feed screw F which is suitably journaled in the main frame beneath the carriage and works in a nut in a hanger f depending from the carriage. The feed screw is provided at one end with two tight pulleys f f and an interposed loose pulley f which are connected by straight and crossed belts g 9, Fig. 3, to pulleys g on a horizontal drive shaft G which is suitably journaled in a bearing on a part of the frame or bracket projecting rearwardly and upwardly from the main frame, and is provided with a pulley g for a driving belt.

H, Figs. 1, 3 and 10, represents a revers in arm which depends from the carriage B and slidably engages a horizontal reversing rod h between two adjustable collars or parts h 7L on the rod. This reversing rod is slidably supported by bearings k on the main frame and is connected by a lever h entering these guide-ways to a belt shipper I having guide loops for the straight and cross belts g 9. Then the feed screw is driven in one direction it will feed the carriage toward the right until the reversing arm H strikes the collar h and shifts the belts g g and thereby reverses the direction of rotation of the feed screw F. The screw will then feed the carriage to the left until the reversing arm H engages the other collar 7L and again reverses the rotation of the feed screw, the carriage and parts carried thereby being tllus reciprocated beneath the polishing wheels.

The slides C C are adjusted rearwardly and forwardly on the carriage to move the work to and from the polishing Wheels by suitable means, such as adjusting screws K K which are ournaled on the front part of the carriage and engage screw-threaded nuts or parts is secured to the slides C and C. The adjusting screws K K are provided at their front ends with wheels k 10 or other handles, for turning them. The adjusting screws can be operated to adjust the slides C C to corresponding or different positions, as may be required.

Each work table is tilted or adjusted vertically in the machine shown in the drawings by screws L, Figs. 1 and 7, which are connected to the front portion of the table and engage in threaded holes in worm wheels Z which are held from endwise movement in suitable bearings Z on the slide C or C which supports the table and are turned simultaneously by worms Z on a shaft Z journaled in bearings on the slide and provided at one end with a hand wheel or device Z for turning it. worms Z is shown in Fig. 7.

The invention is not restricted to the particular devices described for adjusting the slides horizontally and the tables vertically, and other means can be employed for producing these adjustments.

The several wheels E, which are intended to polish the previously beveled edges of the glass plates, are secured to shafts n journaled in the free front ends of separate bearing frames or supports N which are pivotally mounted at their rear ends to swing up and down independently of each other about the axis of a longitudinal. shaft n from which the wheels E are driven and which is preferably journaled in bearings n on the frame bracket 9 The bearing frames may be pivoted on the machine in 'any suitable manner, but are preferably One of the i same time relieve the shaft 72, of the strain that would be caused by pivotally mounting the brackets directly on the shaft. The polishing wheels are driven by suitable means which permit the described up and down movement of the wheels, for instance, by sprocket chains 0 passing around sprocket wheels secured on the shafts n and n. The shaft n can be driven in any suitable way, for instance, it is geared at one end by wheels 39 79 to one end of a main drive sh aft. P, which is journaled in bearings on the frame bracket g and is provided at its opposite end with pulleys p for a drive belt.

The swinging support or frame N for each of the polishing wheels 1?] provided with a depending arm or portion having a toothed segment Q meshing with a gear segment g which is secured in any suitable manner to a worm segment 1 meshing with a worm on an adjusting shaft (1 which is journaled in the main frame and extends to the front of the machine. The gear segment q and worm segment are preferably adjustable with regard to each other. In the construction shown, the worm segment. q is rigidly secured to or formed with a hub or sleeve 9 and the gear segment 1 is formed with a split collar 9 which is adjustable circumferentially on the hub or sleeve 9, to which it is adapted to be rigidly clamped by a bolt 1 or other device. The gear segment can thus be adjusted with regard to the worm segment to compensate for the wearing away of the polishing wheel, and smaller gear segments can be used than would be necessary if the'segments were not adjustable. The hubs or sleeves q of the worm segments are preferably sleeved. on a common horizontal bearing shaft which is mounted at its ends on the frame bracket 9 the worm segments being held fro-m endwise movement on the shaft by collars or stops 9*.

Means are preferably provided for operating the pivoted frames on which the polishing wheels are mounted so that the wheels can be adjusted toward and from the work independently of each other. or so that all, or a part of the wheels can be adjusted simultaneously. in the construction shown in Fig. 1, all of the wheels are adapted to be moved simultaneously, as follows: To the front end of each adjusting shaft 9 is secured a hand wheel or device R for turning the shaft, and this hand wheel has a hub v" on which a gear 1" is splined to move lengthwise of the hub. The several gears r are adapted, when moved rear- Wardly on the hubs, to mesh with a rack bar 1" which is slidable lengthwise of the machine in a suitable guide-way r secured to the main frame. When the gears 7" are moved into engagement with the rack bar, the several adjusting shafts willbe simultaneously turned by the movement of the rack bar. The rack bar can be moved by any suitable means, such, for instance, as a crank S to which is secured a gear 8 which meshes with the rack bar. The crank is journaled on a stud s secured to the frame of the machine. Adjustable means are preferably provided for stopping the movement of the rack bar in order to limit, as desired, the movement of the polishing wheels toward the work and prevent an operative from forcing the wheels E onto the work with sufficient pressure to injure the same. Stops are shown for this purpose, comprising a projection 8 formed on the crank S and adapted to strike projections s 'fOlIl'lOCl on a plate 8" which is adjustable circumferentially with regard to the crank S. The plate is provided with a slot a through which a bolt .9 passes for clamping the plate a in any adjusted position. By suitably adjusting the plate 5-, the downward movement of the wheels E toward the work can be limited as desired.

I t may be desirable, when simultaneously polishing a plurality of small plates in which only a few wheels are required for each plate, to operate the wheels in groups so that the several wheels of each group can be adjusted simultaneously with each other but independently of the othefgroup. This can be accomplished by making the rack bar in sections T T, as shown in Fig. 2, and providing separate operating cranks t t for the rack sections. Each section of the rack bar controls those polishing wheels which are connected therewith independently of the other wheels, and either group of wheels'can be operated independently of the other group. The machine can thus be used as two smaller machines. If desired, the overlapping adjacent ends of the sections of the rack bar can be connected by a pin t to cause both sections to move together. The rack bar can then be operated by either of the cranks, whichever is most convenient for adjusting all of the polishing wheels simultaneously.

In the operation of the machine for polishing beveled edges, one or more glass plates are secured on the work tables D D with the edge or edges thereof to be polished next to the polishing wheels and against the stops 1]. The slides C C are adjusted rear- 'ardly by the screws K K to move the beveled rear edges of the glass plate or plates against the polishing wheels, and the front edges of the work tables D D are also adjusted up or down by means of the adjusting shafts Z to cause the polishing wheels to bear properly on the beveled faces. These adjustments enable plates to be set so that the wheels will operate properly on bevels of different inclinations. One or more plates can be secured on each table, or if a single plate too large to be placed on one table is to be operated upon, the tables can be adjusted to the same plane and the plate placed so as to rest on bothtables. The machine is then started and the car riage B reciprocates, moving the plate or plates to and fro beneath the polishing wheels which thus polish all portions of the rear edge or edges of the plate or plates. The polishing wheels can be caused to bear on the glass with the pressure necessary to properly polish the beveled edge or edges, and this pressure can be regulated from time to time as required, as the polishing proceeds, by turning the wheel adjusting shafts 1 As the wheels are independently adjustable, each wheel can be set or adjusted to suit the particular condition of the plate, or portion of the plate, upon which it operates. Thus a uniform pressure of the wheels on all portions of the beveled edge or edges can be effected notwithstanding that the plate may not be of uniform thickness throughout, or that differentplates being polished may be of different thicknesses or of different quality of glass, while, on the contrary, if different plates or different portions of a plate require different pressures of the wheels to uniformly polish them, this can be secured by independently adjusting the wheels, without danger of breaking or injuring a plate, which would result if a single long cylinder were employed. The wheels can be pressed against the work with suflicient force to cause the yielding rims of the wheels to flatten out enough to bear on a flat or plane beveled edge throughout the width thereof, so that the machine is adapt-- ed for polishing either plane or-concaved bevel. If it is desired to move two or more of the wheels E to and from the work simultaneously, the gears 7, after each of the polishing wheels E has been adjusted toward the work as described, can be moved into engagement with the rack bar, and the wheels E can then be moved toward and from the work by the crank S, or the cranks T T.

The carriages are adjustable toward and from the wheels and also at an inclination to properly position the glass with reference to the wheels, but the automatic reciprocation or movement of the tables during the polishing or grinding operation is in a direction transversely to the planes of rotation of the wheels, so as to move the edge being operated upon across the periphcries of the wheel, at an angle to the direction of motion thereof, instead of in a direction toward and from the wheels. This arrangement insures better work and prevents the possibility of feeding the glass against the wheels with an injurious pressure.

The machine can be used for polishing the beveled surfaces of plates having curved or irregular edges. lVhen the machine is used for this purpose, only one of the wheels is generally used, the other wheels being raised out of the way, and the table is adjusted backwardly and forwardly according to the contour of the edge to be polished.

By using a plurality of independently adjustable polishing wheels, each wheel can be adjusted with regard to that portion of the plate upon which it operates, and as large plates frequently vary considerably in thickness at different parts of the plate, the wheels can be adjusted accordingly and a uniform polish can be obtained throughout the length of the plate. This is also true where several small plates are to be polished at the same time as these plates are liable to vary in thickness and the polishing wheels can be accommodated to such variations. Another advantage in using these wheels is that the portions of the plate between the wheels can cool off before being again traversed by the polishing wheels, thereby preventing excessive heating, and consequently cracking of plates.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a horizontallyreciprocating carriage, a slide which is adjustable on the carriage in a direction at an angle to the direction of movement of the carriage, a work table which is supported by said slide and is adjustable thereon to a position parallel with or inclined to the plane of said slide, a plurality of wheels which are mounted near one edge of said work table to move independently of each other toward and from the work table, means for driving said wheels, and means for regulating the pressure of said wheels on the work independently of each other, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a horizontallyreciprccating carriage, a plurality of slides which are adjustable on the carriage in a direction at an angle to the direction of movement of the carriage, means for independently adjusting said slides, a work table supported by each of said slides, means for independently adjusting said work tables to positions parallel with or at an angle to the plane of said slides, a plurality of wheels which are mounted near one edge of said work tables to move toward and from the work tables, means for driving said wheels, and means for adjusting the wheel for each table toward and from the table independently of the wheel for the other table, substantially as set forth.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a horizontallyreciprocating carriage, a slide which is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly on said carriage, a Work table which is supported by said slide and is adjustable thereon to a position parallel with or inclined to the plane of said slide, a plurality of wheels which are mounted side by side parallel with each other in independently movable frames at the rear portion of the machine, means for driving said wheels, and means for adjusting said wheel frames independently to regulate the pressure of said wheels on the work, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of driven rotary wheels mounted side by side to move up and down independently of each other, a work support, means for reciproeating the work support in a direction at an angle to the direction of rotation of the Wheels, means for adjusting said work support toward and from said wheels and also to a position parallel with or inclined to the plane of reciprocation of the work support, and means for independently regulating the pressure of said wheels on the work, substantially as set forth.

5. I11 a machine of the character described, the combination of a horizontally reciprocating carriage, a slide adjustable laterally thereon and adapted to support the glass plate, a plurality of wheels mounted side by side parallel to each other in inclependently movable frames at the rear portion of the machine, means for driving said wheels, and means for reciprocating said carriage in a direction across the grinding surfaces of said wheels a distance slightly greater than the distance between two wheels, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of driven rotary wheels mounted side by side, a work support, means for reciprocating the work support in a direction transverse to the planes of rotation of said wheels a distance slightly greater than the distance between two wheels, and means for moving said wheels independently of each other toward and from said work support, substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of driven rotary wheels mounted side by side, a carriage which is adapted to reciprocate in a direction transverse to the plane of rotation of said wheels, a plurality of work supports mounted on said carriage and adapted to be adjusted independently of each other with reference to said wheels, and means for adjusting the wheels adjacent to one work support independently of the wheels adjacent to the other work support, substantially as set forth.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a work support,

means for reciprocating said work support,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

a plurality of driven rotary wheels, means for adjusting said wheels independently of each other toward and from said work support, and means for moving a number of said wheels simultaneously toward and from said work support, substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine of the character de-' scribed, the combination of a work support, means for reciprocating said work support, a plurality of driven rotary wheels, means for adjusting said wheels independently of each other toward and from said work support, and means for coupling said adjusting means to move a number of said wheels simultaneously toward and from said work support, substantially as set forth.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a work support, means for reciprocating said work support, a plurality of driven rotary wheels which are journaled in frames pivoted to said machine, gear segments on said frames, gears with which said segments mesh to swing the fumes on their pivots and adjust said wheels toward and from said work support,

a gear connected with and adapted to turn said first mentioned gear, and means for actuating said second gear, substantially as set forth.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a work support, means for reciprocating said work support,

a plurality of driven rotary wheels which are journaled in frames pivoted to said machine, gear segments on said frames, gears with which said segments meshto swing the frames on their pivots and adjust said wheels toward and from said work support, a gear connected with and adapted to turn said first mentioned gear, and means for actuating said second gear, said second gear and said first mentioned gear being adjustable with regard to each other, substantially as set forth.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a reciprocating work support, a plurality of wheels mounted side by side parallel to each other, means for adjusting said work support and said wheels relative to each other, a stop strip against which the work can be placed and which projects above the surface of the work support adjacent to said wheels, and means for adjusting said strip with regard to the surface of said work support, substantially as set forth.

lVitness my hand, this 7th day of October, 1911.

"WILLIAM LA I-IODNY.

Witnesses:

F. E. PnooHNow, A. L. McGee.

Commissioner of Patents, 

